Narrative:

Myself and my captain were on our last revenue passenger leg returning to our home base of lebanon, nh from boston logan. We were level at 10000 ft descending to assigned altitude of 6000 ft 30 mi southeast of the lebanon (leb) VOR. At this distance we chose to reduce our speed because of another scheduled commuter air carrier was cleared for an instrument approach into leb. We were level at 6000 ft MSL 4.0 NM from the leb VOR and given holding instructions from ZBW. I received and readback the holding instructions which I believed to be a northeast hold, 10 mi legs at 6000 ft. This hold is depicted on the VOR approach for lebanon. Upon reaching the VOR, our heading was 340 degrees, we turned right to 066 degrees for a direct entry for the northeast hold, then turned to 020 degrees for wind correction from the north. 1 min had elapsed when boston asked our heading, were told we were suppose to be holding southeast on the 149 degree radial. On the original clearance a radial was not specified, only what I believed 'northeast' instead of a 'southeast.' boston gave us a 180 degree heading, because we were about to enter 'special use airspace' (yankee 1 MOA). After the 180 degrees, boston gave us a 210 degrees. Boston then informed us our ground track was 160 degrees on our 210 degree heading. We were then cleared direct to the VOR for the ILS runway 18 approach into lebanon. Contributing factors: I believed the hold to be northeast instead of southeast - no (149 degree) radial was given in the original clearance. Also, not enough time to set up for the holding pattern, quick turn-arounds throughout the 9 hour duty day, and we were running behind schedule all day. The 149 degree radial southeast hold is not published on the low- en route chart or instrument approach plates into lebanon. Supplemental information from acn 298560: my copilot (PNF) took a holding clearance from ZBW. I must admit my attention was on slowing to holding speed and looking at the DME which read 4.2 (as best as I can remember) so I knew we were very close and holding 6000 ft as we slowed to about 160 KTS. We were now about 1-2 NM from the VOR and I asked the copilot what we had. He informed me we were to hold northeast with 10 mi legs and r-hand turns. We weren't given (according to him) a radial so due to being passing over the VOR we assumed center (which was busy that night) meant the normally depicted hold of 066 degrees and 246 degrees which we turned right to enter. All I had heard from the original clearance was right turns and 10 mi legs so I had no reason to question it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X NAV DEV ENTERED INCORRECT HOLDING PATTERN.

Narrative: MYSELF AND MY CAPT WERE ON OUR LAST REVENUE PAX LEG RETURNING TO OUR HOME BASE OF LEBANON, NH FROM BOSTON LOGAN. WE WERE LEVEL AT 10000 FT DSNDING TO ASSIGNED ALT OF 6000 FT 30 MI SE OF THE LEBANON (LEB) VOR. AT THIS DISTANCE WE CHOSE TO REDUCE OUR SPD BECAUSE OF ANOTHER SCHEDULED COMMUTER ACR WAS CLRED FOR AN INSTRUMENT APCH INTO LEB. WE WERE LEVEL AT 6000 FT MSL 4.0 NM FROM THE LEB VOR AND GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS FROM ZBW. I RECEIVED AND READBACK THE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS WHICH I BELIEVED TO BE A NE HOLD, 10 MI LEGS AT 6000 FT. THIS HOLD IS DEPICTED ON THE VOR APCH FOR LEBANON. UPON REACHING THE VOR, OUR HDG WAS 340 DEGS, WE TURNED R TO 066 DEGS FOR A DIRECT ENTRY FOR THE NE HOLD, THEN TURNED TO 020 DEGS FOR WIND CORRECTION FROM THE N. 1 MIN HAD ELAPSED WHEN BOSTON ASKED OUR HDG, WERE TOLD WE WERE SUPPOSE TO BE HOLDING SE ON THE 149 DEG RADIAL. ON THE ORIGINAL CLRNC A RADIAL WAS NOT SPECIFIED, ONLY WHAT I BELIEVED 'NE' INSTEAD OF A 'SE.' BOSTON GAVE US A 180 DEG HDG, BECAUSE WE WERE ABOUT TO ENTER 'SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE' (YANKEE 1 MOA). AFTER THE 180 DEGS, BOSTON GAVE US A 210 DEGS. BOSTON THEN INFORMED US OUR GROUND TRACK WAS 160 DEGS ON OUR 210 DEG HDG. WE WERE THEN CLRED DIRECT TO THE VOR FOR THE ILS RWY 18 APCH INTO LEBANON. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I BELIEVED THE HOLD TO BE NE INSTEAD OF SE - NO (149 DEG) RADIAL WAS GIVEN IN THE ORIGINAL CLRNC. ALSO, NOT ENOUGH TIME TO SET UP FOR THE HOLDING PATTERN, QUICK TURN-AROUNDS THROUGHOUT THE 9 HR DUTY DAY, AND WE WERE RUNNING BEHIND SCHEDULE ALL DAY. THE 149 DEG RADIAL SE HOLD IS NOT PUBLISHED ON THE LOW- ENRTE CHART OR INSTRUMENT APCH PLATES INTO LEBANON. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 298560: MY COPLT (PNF) TOOK A HOLDING CLRNC FROM ZBW. I MUST ADMIT MY ATTN WAS ON SLOWING TO HOLDING SPD AND LOOKING AT THE DME WHICH READ 4.2 (AS BEST AS I CAN REMEMBER) SO I KNEW WE WERE VERY CLOSE AND HOLDING 6000 FT AS WE SLOWED TO ABOUT 160 KTS. WE WERE NOW ABOUT 1-2 NM FROM THE VOR AND I ASKED THE COPLT WHAT WE HAD. HE INFORMED ME WE WERE TO HOLD NE WITH 10 MI LEGS AND R-HAND TURNS. WE WEREN'T GIVEN (ACCORDING TO HIM) A RADIAL SO DUE TO BEING PASSING OVER THE VOR WE ASSUMED CTR (WHICH WAS BUSY THAT NIGHT) MEANT THE NORMALLY DEPICTED HOLD OF 066 DEGS AND 246 DEGS WHICH WE TURNED R TO ENTER. ALL I HAD HEARD FROM THE ORIGINAL CLRNC WAS R TURNS AND 10 MI LEGS SO I HAD NO REASON TO QUESTION IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.